Islaburg
|- |- class ="toprow" | Constituent country | UFK of St. Samuel |- class ="mergedtoprow" | Region | Isles of Maria |- class ="mergedtoprow" | Districts | 11 districts |- class ="mergedtoprow" | Population | 167,452 |- class ="mergedtoprow" | Lord Mayor | Lord Andrew Zatterburg |- class ="mergedtoprow" |- |} Islaburg is the administrative capital of the Isles of Maria, St. Samuel and the largest city of the island with a population of 167,000. Islaburg is located on the east coast of the Isles of Maria and is an important seaport in the Black Sea. The city's rich art, music, gastronomy, architecture and history, make it an all year round popular tourist destination. The city, since the 1800BP's, hosts massive shipyards and steelworks, while its solid financial sector dates back to the Middle Ages. The Bank of Barrisomma is among the oldest in the world, as it was founded in 1815BP, playing an important role in the city’s prosperity. History Prior to the city of Islaburg's formation, a small Gyrish fishing village named Farra Dogga was located in it's place. Farra Dogga was a typical Gyrish village, with only small mud brick huts. At around 2000BP it is believed that the population would have been around 2,000. The location was chosen for the site for the new city of Islaburg in 1901BP, by Lord Wolfmere Di Maria, a Samuelonian Nobleman, who was gifted the Isles of Maria in recognition of his victories over the Gyrish Kingdom. Wolfmere named the new city after his wife, Isla Di Maria. Lord Wolfmere, was the youngest son of a prominent Wine merchant family and his family funded huge and extravagant building projects. He set about the construction of Islaburg Cathedral and Castle Islaburg, which both still stand today. The cities Golden Age came around 900BP. Trade, shipbuilding and banking helped the city become one of the most prosperous cities in the Black Sea. The shipbuilding yards of Islaburg were famed for there skill and expertise and the Port of Islaburg was a a busy trade centre of Longerath. The wine merchants of Islaburg also became popular and led to the city becoming famous for it's exquisite wines. During the Uestadenia and Anglodascunyan periods of occupation over St. Samuel of 585BP to 416BP, the city of Islaburg was effected very little. The Maria islanders were pretty much left to there own devices and life remained fairly unchanged. In 426BP, Edmund Van Arguard, an Angliyaan mercenary, loyal to King Francisco VI of St. Samuel, was recruited to lead an attack on the Isles of Maria at the start of the Longerathian War. A small garrison of around 2000 Anglodascunyan troops were stationed on the island and Van Arguard's force of around 5000 troops easily overcame the Anglodascunyan forces on the island. The island and Islaburg in particular, became an important strategic location for Samuelonian forces launching attacks on mainland Samuelonia. At the end of the Longerathian War, Edmund Van Arguard was made Lord Protector of Maria and his family took up residence of Castle Islaburg. Edmund had prospered heavily from the Longerathian Wars and was able to finance huge construction projects. Castle Islaburg was enlarged and the cities walls strengthened. The city remained an important trade centre until the outbreak of the Great Plague, which ravaged most of Longerath. Senator Marco Van Arguard, declared all travel and trade to cease, which saved the Isles of Maria from the worst of the Great Plague, but the cease in trade, saw the cities income fall heavily and unemployment and starvation hit unknown heights by 5AP. The quality of life and high crime in the city got to such a bad state, that many took there chances with the plague and moved away from the Isles of Maria. The Isles of Maria sided with the Royalists during the Civil War of Saint Samuel and the war hit the island in September 163AP. The city of Islaburg was surrounded by December 163 and a two month long siege ensued. The city was defended by the young boys and old men of the Islaburg Militia Defence Force, after all men of fighting age had received call ups and were away fighting elsewhere. The Islaburg Militia Defence Force fought valiantly holding off a number of Republican attacks, but the city finally fell to the Republicans in February 164. The Islaburg Militia Defence Force put up a famous final defence at what was to become known as the Battle of 5th Street. One hundred and fifty two militia men were surrounded in 5th Street and took up position in the city barracks. The 152 strong force were surrounded for 4 days and refused to surrender. On the 4th night the Republicans set the barracks alight and with only 48 men and boys left, the militia men charged the Republican forces. Today a monument stands in 5th Street in rememerance of the 152 militia men that perished in the battle. Upon the fall of the Islaburg, all citizens suspected of having belonged to the Islaburg Militia Defence Force were executed. Those that avoided execution, went into hideing and started a resistance movement, which became highly succesfull, in sabotaging and killing Republican forces that remained in the city. The city remained under Republican control between 164 to 170. The city returned to Royalist control soon after the famous naval victory at the Battle of Maria. Only a small number of Republican troops were left in the city when they finally surrendered to Islaburg Militia Defence Force men and Royalist troops. For the remainder of the Civil War, Islaburg was an important naval base for Royalist forces. Geography Category:St. Samuel Category:Cities of Saint Samuel Category:Cities